Improvement of forest fire danger rating in Russia

Abstract

The paper analyses three kinds of forest fire danger rating (FDR) in the Russian forest fire protection: 1) FDR according to weather conditions (fire weather danger rating); 2) FDR according to local (regional) scales (a combination of fire weather and fire hazard adjusted to local conditions), and 3) FDR according to vegetation fuel complexes (the so called fire hazard). Unfortunately, all the enumerated FDRs are realized via techniques of 1940s – 1970s in spite of the fact that there are improved techniques developed in the country. The constant personnel perturbations in the Federal Forestry Service of Russia and absence of qualified forestry experts there make it impossible to keep an eye and timely consider the methodical recommendations (practical guidelines) received from scientists and aimed at improvement of forest fire protection in Russia. The main focus is on methods of earth remote sensing and increase of technical power though the world experience shows that this is a dead-end way in resolving the vegetation fire issues. Analysis of the available elaborations has shown that the most forward-looking are the recommendations realized on the basis of a long-term fundamental research in the leading forest fire science laboratory of Russia at the Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS. For the FDR according to weather conditions it is suggested that an index should be used which takes into account not only air temperature and dew point but also humidity and hygroscopicity of vegetation fuels and “works” even under negative air temperatures. Making local (regional) FDR scales is based on prediction of probable density of active fires per each day. And the basis of the FDR according to vegetation fuels (fire hazard rating) consists of the developed classification of vegetation fuels (VF) and methods of their mapping. The results of our fundamental fire science studies suggest improvement of forest fire danger rating in protected areas and in areas with valuable indigenous coniferous stands of Siberian pine, fir, pine, larch, and spruce. Recommendations are given for more accurate assessment of a fire weather index and fire hazard, and for making improved comparable local (regional) fire danger scales. The recommendations are aimed at fire science specialists, fire protection specialists in protected areas, forest offices, and air patrol, emergency services employees, faculty and university students.